chevre on baguette: three ways

My super-talented artist-sister-friend Liz had an exhibition of her wood block prints this spring that she called, “You are not leaving. You are arriving.” Ever since hearing about the show, those two sentences — “You are not leaving. You are arriving.” — have been echoing around my brain, a gentle and hopeful reminder that change is good and that sometimes a different perspective is exactly what you need.

Since I last posted (which, I know, was ages ago), a whole lot has changed. I’ve left my job as an ESL teacher and am luxuriously unemployed until starting a Master’s program at Indiana University in August. I’ve left dear Brooklyn for hot Atlanta, though just for the summer. As far as roommates go, I’ve swapped two terrific ladies and a three-legged cat for my also-terrific parents, and may be regressing just a little as a rediscover what it’s like to live at home. And so on.

In the midst of all this change, it’s comforting to hold on to those things that stay the same. Like bread and cheese. Sure, we’ll dress it up a little in this recipe. We’ll buy the slightly overpriced fresh artisanal chevre at the farmer’s market, and we’ll bejewel it with sweet figs, tomatoes, and avocados. And we’ll toss it on a pretty plate to boot. But beneath all the flair, you can still count on the basic tried and true formula, that timeless pair of bread plus cheese that, mercifully, will never change.

Spread the chevre thickly on the baguette. Top with arugula and sliced tomato. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Done.

avocado, lemon & chevre baguette

baguette
1 ounce chevre
1/2 avocado
lemon
salt & pepper

Spread chevre thickly on the baguette. Top with avocado slices. Squeeze about one tablespoon of lemon juice on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Done.

fig jam, walnut & chevre baguette

baguette
1 ounce chevre
fig jam
a few walnuts

You know what to do. Spread chevre thickly on the baguette. Spread fig jam on top. Crumble a few walnuts on top of that. Done and done.

There is so much to enjoy about this little lunch. The ease of its preparation. The colors it brings to your plate and palate. The bitter bite of the arugula against the lusciousness of the mid-summer tomato against the tang of the goat cheese. The creamy-on-creamy effect of avocado plus chevre (but wait! that zing of lemon!). And, my personal favorite, the sticky sweetness of fig and buttery crunch of walnut rounding out the simplicity of good bread and cheese. And of course, the fun need not stop here. How about swapping in peach for that tomato? Maybe add a cucumber for crunch with that avocado? You could spend a day (and I almost did) thinking up combinations.

As you can see, I enjoyed these lovely sandwiches outside with a glass of white wine, and I recommend you do the same. You could also cut the bread into smaller chunks and serve them as fancy-shmancy starters at your next backyard bash. Or just make it for yourself next time you have a free afternoon.

So whatever kind of changes, big or small, you may have going on, remember: “You are not leaving. You are arriving.” And maybe a little bread and cheese along the way could help with that journey.